128 HABITS OF THE UON. 



unable to do so for a time, though he was then mortally- 

 wounded by a two-ounce ball. * 



In general the lion seizes the animal he is attacking by 

 the flank near the hind leg, or by the throat below the jaw. 

 It is questionable whether he ever attempts to seize an 

 animal by the withers. The flank is the most common 

 point of attack, and that is the part he begins to feast on 

 first. The natives and lions are very similar in then- 

 tastes in the selection of tit-bits : an eland may be seen 

 disembowelled by a Hon so completely, that he scarcely 

 seems cut up at all. The bowels and fatty parts form a 



* This singular encounter, in the words of an eye-witness, happened 

 as follows : — 



" My South African Journal is now before me, and I have got hold 

 of the account of the lion and buffalo affair ; here it is : — ' 15th Sept. 

 1846. Oswell and I were riding this afternoon along the banks of the 

 Limpopo, when a water-buck started in front of us. I dismounted, 

 and was following it through the jungle, when three buffaloes got up, 

 and, after going a little distance, stood still, and the nearest bull turned 

 round and looked at me. A ball from the two-ouncer crashed into his 

 shoulder, and they all three made off. Oswell and I followed as soon 

 as I had reloaded, and when we were in sight of the buffalo, and gain- 

 ing on him at every stride, three lions leapt on the unfortunate brute ; he 

 bellowed most lustily as he kept up a kind of running fight ; but he 

 was, of course, soon overpowered and pulled down. We had a fine 

 view of the struggle, and saw the lions on their hind legs tearing away 

 with teeth and claws in most ferocious style. We crept up within 

 thirty yards, and, kneeling down, blazed away at the lions. My rifle 

 was a single barrel, and I had no spare gun. One lion fell dead 

 almost on the buffalo ; he had merely time to turn towards us, seize a 

 bush with his teeth, and drop dead with the stick in his jaws. The 

 second made off immediately ; and the third raised his head, coolly 

 looked round for a moment, then went on tearing and biting at the 

 carcase as hard as ever. We retired a short distance to load, then 

 again advanced and fired. The lion made off, but a ball that he 

 received ought to have stopped him, as it went clean through his 

 shoulder-blade. He was followed up and killed, after having charged 

 several times. Both lions were males. It is not often that one bags a 

 brace of lions and a bull buffalo in about ten minutes. It was an 

 exciting adventure, and I shall never forget it.' 



" Such, my dear Livingstone, is the plain, unvarnished account. 

 The buffalo had, of course, gone close to where the lions were lying 

 down for the day ; and they, seeing him lame and bleeding, thought 

 the ooportunity too good a one to be lost. 



" Ever yours, 



"Frank Vardon." 



